CSM alumnus trains world champion

CSM boasts a fairly impressive list of alumni who have gone on to great heights in the world of sport, mainly in baseball and football.

A few that come to mind are Bill Walsh of the 49ers, John Madden of the Raiders and of Monday Night Football fame, Scott Feldman of the Texas Rangers, Daniel Nava of the Red Sox, and Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots.

A new name to add to that list would be former CSM student Eddie Croft.

Croft is not a baseball or a football player, however. He didn’t even play sports at CSM. His success has come in the boxing ring.

Croft, a trainer at B Street Boxing in San Mateo, was the cornerman for Melissa McMorrow, the world’s most recent women’s flyweight world champion, as she took the title from Susi Kentikian in Frankfurt, Germany Wednesday.

“I’m happy about it,” said Croft, “Since I started training (McMorrow) in May of 2008 I knew she’d be a world champion.”
McMorrow faced adverse circumstances, fighting the undefeated incumbent Kentikian on her home turf in Frankfurt with two of three judges being German. McMorrow nevertheless won in convincing fashion, beating her Armenian-born opponent in a majority decision.

“Whenever I went back to the corner, (Eddie) would stress that (Kentikian) would get more leeway from the judges”, said McMorrow “I definitely was worried that I wasn’t going to get the decision I deserved.”
“She had to be a little more dominant and she fought a terrific fight,” said Croft, “It wasn’t unanimous like I thought it should’ve been, though.”
McMorrow (7-3-3) previously lost a previous world title bout against Arely Mucino in Mexico, in what was a controversial split decision. The title had been in jeopardy for Kentikian because she was inactive for a long period of time.

“In foriegn countries a lot of calls don’t go your way,” said Croft.

Croft was a student at CSM from 1989 to1990, where he contributed a special column to the San Matean about his experiences at the USA boxing championships.

“A lot of trainer don’t know what they’re talking about,” said McMorrow “It’s a pretty big deal to have a trainer who knows what they are doing. Eddie has insight and relates very well.”
As for being a world champ, the euphoria is just starting to set in for McMorrow.

“I was in Germany, so I didn’t know anyone (to celebrate with),” said McMorrow. “I just started processing it as I got off the plane.”
She is now the oficial women’s flyweight world title holder in the World Boxing Organization, International Boxing Federation, and World Boxing Association.